Journal of Miyara Kyosuke (76)

    It is afternoon in the village of Urudaba.

    Miyara asks us about the visions that we all had when the crystals fused.  She asks if anyone saw the rock destroyed -- no-one did except Rabena.  She threw the fused crystal through a tiny hole and destroyed, somewhere cold with thin air and wind.
    Miyara and Hosei agree we will be in trouble as soon as the Empire people detect that we are magical as the result of our being close to the stones.  I am certainly magical now, as I can start fires.  It seems likely that we will rescue the prisoner.
    Hosei comes into our shelter and tells us that the knight is gathering the whole town so she can inform us all about the purpose of her visit.  He also says that the prisoner is called Cosutan Loso.
    A few people other than us come, but most are in the mines.  Even then, less than half the people still in town attend.
    The Knight stands on the stairs in Q's, looking down on us all.  CL and his guard stand a little lower on the stairs.  She speaks confidently.  She says they are investigating reports of some dangerous cursed magical artifacts.  "These cursed magical items are extremely dangerous and must be destroyed, as must anyone affected by their taint."  She calls to Berthold who yanks on CL's chain.
    CL in a tired yet scholarly voice begins to describe the articles.  He gives an exact description of the four sogin rokus.
    When he is done, Matilde says they're offering a large reward for any information leading to them.  She stands expectantly as if everyone here is supposed to tell her where they are.  Once it's clear these villagers are too stupid to help, she turns around and walks upstairs.
    After a few minutes the other knight comes down the stairs.  He is beautiful and good-looking, and he is followed by the unsmiling man with the goatee.  The knight looks around at the bottom of the stairs as if he didn't expect to see all these commoners here.  He glances at the other man, who shouts something as if annoyed.  The rooms starts to clear.  We stand here for a moment, and then go back to the hut.
    Just as we start to leave, CL looks up directly at Hosei.  Their eyes meet, and CL looks down again.  CL seems to recognize that Hosei is a scholar, but also seems afraid of him.  It seems that CL wants something from Hosei.

    Back at the hut, Hosei proposes a meeting with the obviously educated prisoner.  I mention Goru's vision that we should talk to a man in chains.  Hosei says that as a scholar of the Church of Barena he should be able to get to talk with him.  If Miyara talked with the knights at the same time, it would distract attention from Hosei's conversation with CL.  I suggest speaking in a language that the knights do not understand -- I point out that he seemed to understand Nipponese.
    Hosei will make a formal written introduction, and so asks for Miyara's full titles.  They discuss the matter for quite a while, so that Hosei can make the proper translations and make the barbarian nobles understand.  He then sends Sun to Q's to deliver it.
    Sun returns with the news that the knights were amused, and the good-looking one asked if Miyara was married.  Nevertheless he said she was welcome to come over whenever she wanted.  This was not the formal response and meeting we wanted, but at least it is an invitation.

    Everyone goes except the Monkey, Ashu, and Goru.  The Empire group are all gathered downstairs, apparently after a meal.  The fat man is on guard duty; CL is not eating.
    Miyara is formally welcomed and introduced to the knights.  She is shown a seat, while the rest of us stand.  I stand behind Miyara.  The remainder mingle to distract the others.  Pito talks to the fat guard, while Hosei moves over towards CL.  The guard does not allow Hosei to get close and talk with a fellow scholar.  Hosei returns to the vicinity of the main table.
    Pito, however, is welcomed by the guard to talk, and the doctor occupies the fat man quite well.
    After a while, a slight lull in the conversation allows Hosei to get a word in.  He addresses Mathilde and asks if he could speak as one scholar to another with CL.  In flowery long-winded prose, he tells them that the Church wants to find out about what this seditious studier of Chaos might be able to tell.  Joachim -- the fat man -- is instructed to bring CL over to the table, as the knights too want to hear what he says.
    Hosei starts by asking him questions about the books of chaos that CL learned from.  CL denies knowledge of chaos, but says he has extensively studied Dwarven History, which is where he learned of the stones.  Hosei asks him in painfully boring scholarly fashion about the little details of the books, taking copious notes.
    After a while it's clear to Hosei that CL does know his dwarven history, way more than Hosei imagined someone could know about dwarven history, but not about chaos.
    Miyara attempts to liven the table conversation to allow Hosei to speak more privately.  It does seem to work, and in fact after a while Mathilde gets very annoyed about CL talking nearby.  Miyara amazes them with her stories.
    Hosei starts moving CL away from the table, and now they can get into a more important conversation, maintaining the same droning voice.
    "You have them, don't you?" says CL.
    Hosei says, "No."  He says he has heard of them.
    CL indicates Joachim and says to feed him as much as we can, and he'll pass out.  He shuffles back to his corner.  Hosei goes with him and keeps talking.
    Hosei produces three mackeral, but CL indicates that it should not be now, but later.  CL then asks Hosei to return to to the boring questions mostly and scatter some interesting ones in there.  After a while they finish their conversation with CL saying quickly that if we don't a;lready have a plan, seek out Zockri the Younger who was last seen living as a hermit in some mountains -- Vault's Mountains on top of Hawk's Claw peak.  We must do this or everyone is doomed.  CL stands up and shouts to Joachim something.  He whispers to Hosei that we should get out as fast as we can.